metro

We Went for Two Children in the Absence of Our Target — Kidnap Gang Leader Confesses

Published

3 months ago

July 4, 2026

Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka

We Went for Two Children in the Absence of Our Target — Kidnap Gang Leader Confesses

Umaru Usman, the suspected leader of a kidnapping syndicate, has confessed that his gang originally targeted the father of one of the abducted children but settled for the vulnerable children when the man was not at home. Usman and three others are in police custody following the dramatic rescue of the two seven-year-old victims less than 12 hours after they were taken from Ebinpejo Village via Lanlate in Ibarapa East Local Government Area. The suspects – Umaru Usman, 25; Mohammed Ibrahim Shina, 29; Abdullahi Ahmed, 28; and Sunday Idowu, 30 – were arrested in a joint operation involving the Oyo State Police Command, Amotekun Corps, local vigilantes, and hunters. The rescue came after a coordinated search mission that led security operatives deep into a forest where the kidnappers had taken the children.

Usman made the shocking disclosure in an interview with Saturday Tribune, detailing how the gang planned to abduct Alhaji Idris, a cattle owner and fellow tribesman living in the same village. However, when they arrived at Idris’s residence in the dead of the night and found him absent, they decided to take the children instead – Saliu, Idris’s son, and Mohammed, his younger brother’s son. The abduction occurred in the early hours of Saturday, June 27, when the armed gang invaded Ebinpejo Village, ransacked houses, assaulted residents, and abducted the two children before fleeing into a forest. According to Usman’s confession, the gang had waited in the bush near Maya before moving to the targeted house after midnight. “We went in and found children with their mother. We didn’t meet the fathers at home,” Usman told investigators. The suspects forced the door open, and Abdullahi brought out the two children while the mother raised an alarm that went unheeded. Barefooted and rudely awakened from sleep, the children were made to walk through the forest for over four hours before the gang rested at daybreak. They were not fed during their captivity, and no ransom demand had been made before security forces closed in.

READ ALSO:

The Suspects and the victims

Following their arrest, the four suspects gave conflicting accounts of their involvement, each attempting to shift responsibility to the others. Usman, whom investigators identified as the coordinator of the operation, denied leading the gang and accused the other suspects of falsely implicating him. “It is true that we were arrested, but their claim that I coordinated the operation is a lie. I have never done this kind of thing before. My family has never been involved in such activities,” Usman reportedly said. He offered an unusual explanation for his involvement, claiming he acted under a spiritual influence. “I was under a spell. If I had been in my right senses, I would not have been involved.” Mohammed Ibrahim Shina, who travelled from Ilorin, Kwara State, to participate in the abduction, gave a different account. He claimed that Usman was the one who recruited him and persistently called him to join the operation. Shina said he initially resisted but eventually gave in to Usman’s persuasion. According to Shina, “He gave me an assurance that we would not be caught.” Abdullahi Ahmed, who was found with gunshot wounds during his arrest, claimed he only learned of the kidnapping plan after he had already procured the gun from Sunday Idowu. According to his confession, Usman had asked him to get a gun under the pretence of protecting cattle from thieves.

The joint security team tracked the kidnappers to their forest hideout using credible intelligence and technical surveillance. When the advancing security operatives were sighted, the hoodlums opened fire, resulting in a gun battle. The operatives responded professionally, overpowering the criminals and forcing them to flee in different directions. During the operation, Usman was arrested with gunshot wounds sustained while attempting to escape, and three mobile phones were recovered at the scene. In a follow-up operation conducted in the early hours of Saturday, Abdullahi Ahmed was also arrested with gunshot injuries believed to have been inflicted during the exchange of gunfire. Further investigations led to the arrest of Sunday Idowu, a farmer from Oja Odan in Ogun State, who allegedly provided the gun used in the operation. Idowu claimed he only knew Abdullahi and had given him the gun believing it would be used to protect cattle from thieves. “My lack of education and ignorance about the law led me into my current trouble,” he reportedly told investigators.

The two rescued children, seven-year-old Saliu and Mohammed, were immediately taken to hospital for medical attention after one of them sustained injuries during the ordeal. They have since been reunited with their families. The father of one of the victims, Mallam Idris Saliu, who was away in Bani Community at the time of the abduction, expressed shock at the incident. “I was so afraid that I could not return home that day. I came back on Sunday and was happy that the children had been rescued. I knew Umaru. We were living in the same village and I never knew he could do such a thing.”

Investigations revealed that Usman had a previous brush with the law, having allegedly killed his brother’s wife during an argument months before the kidnap operation. The incident had forced him to flee from Maya to Ilorin in Kwara State. It was during his time in Ilorin that he allegedly began planning the abduction of Alhaji Idris, his fellow tribesman. Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, confirmed that the four suspects are currently assisting investigators with useful information aimed at identifying and apprehending other members of the criminal network. The Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, has assured residents that efforts would be sustained to rid the state of criminal elements and protect lives and property.

We Went for Two Children in the Absence of Our Target — Kidnap Gang Leader Confesses

metro

Over 1,000 APM Members Defect to APC in Oyo

Published

3 hours ago

October 3, 2026

Trends Admin

Over 1,000 APM Members Defect to APC in Oyo

More than 1,000 members of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Oluyole Local Government Area of Oyo State have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing dissatisfaction with their political experience in the state.

The defectors formally joined the APC at the party’s state secretariat in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, on Friday, October 2, 2026.

They were led by APM chieftain Mustapha Kazeem, popularly known as Oba Oluyole, and received by Oyo State APC Chairman, Otunba Moses Alake Adeyemo, alongside members of the party’s state executive committee. (The Times)

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Kazeem said their decision followed what he described as a series of experiences while supporting the administration and political structure associated with Governor Seyi Makinde.

He alleged that some supporters had not received adequate recognition for their loyalty and sacrifices, while accusing members of Makinde’s political structure in Oluyole of victimising members of his group.

Kazeem said the situation eventually convinced them to leave the APM and join the Oyo APC, declaring that they had reached a point where they could no longer pretend about their dissatisfaction.

He described the APC as a platform through which the defectors could pursue their political interests and said they were no longer willing to remain within what he described as “deceit and propaganda.”

READ ALSO:

The allegations against Makinde’s political structure were made by the defectors and were not independently established in the report.

Receiving the new members, the Oyo APC chairman welcomed them into the party and presented brooms to them as a symbol of their formal admission.

Adeyemo urged the defectors to put their previous political differences behind them and participate actively in the activities of the APC in Oyo State.

The defection comes amid increasing political realignments in Oyo State ahead of the 2027 elections, with political parties and their supporters seeking to strengthen their structures and mobilise members across the state.

The latest movement also comes against the backdrop of continuing discussions among opposition politicians over possible cooperation ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

An APM chieftain, Oluwaseun Adeloro, recently argued that opposition parties still had an opportunity to work towards a common presidential candidate.

Speaking on Arise Television’s The Morning Show, Adeloro said opposition politicians could still reach an agreement despite the separate ambitions of major political figures.

He specifically mentioned former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi while discussing the challenges of reaching a consensus.

Adeloro also expressed support for Governor Seyi Makinde as a possible consensus candidate and defended Makinde’s proposal for a four-year “reset” of Nigeria.

The latest APM-to-APC defection in Oyo adds to the political activity already underway ahead of the 2027 general elections.

For the defectors, the move marks a shift from the APM to the APC, while the allegations they cited concerning their treatment within Makinde’s political structure remain their stated reasons for leaving.

Over 1,000 APM Members Defect to APC in Oyo

metro

Police Arrest Man Caught Sexually Assaulting 12-Year-Old Girl in Car

Published

3 hours ago

October 3, 2026

Trends Admin

FCT Police Command Spokesperson, SP Adeh Josephine

Police Arrest Man Caught Sexually Assaulting 12-Year-Old Girl in Car

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has arrested a man identified as Zayyanu Halilu after he was allegedly caught sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl inside a car in Abuja.

Halilu was arrested on Friday, October 2, 2026, by operatives of the Police Anti-Kidnapping Unit during a routine patrol at the Airport Bridge Taxi Park in Abuja.

According to the police, officers became suspicious after noticing a fully tinted navy-blue Volkswagen parked at the location with its windows wound up. The vehicle was reportedly shaking, prompting the officers to approach and inspect it.

The officers allegedly opened the vehicle and found the suspect with the 12-year-old child, leading to his immediate arrest and the rescue of the girl.

The child was subsequently taken for medical attention, while the suspect was detained for investigation.

The police said preliminary findings indicated that the suspect had allegedly taken the girl to the same location on previous occasions and sexually abused her.

READ ALSO:

The Command further alleged that the suspect had threatened the child with harm if she disclosed the abuse to anyone.

A medical examination, according to the police, subsequently showed that the child was about three months pregnant. She remains under medical care and is undergoing further assessment.

The police said the suspect would be charged to court after the completion of the investigation.

The FCT Police spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, confirmed the arrest, while the Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, urged parents and guardians to pay close attention to the safety, welfare and whereabouts of children under their care.

The Command also urged residents to report suspicious activities involving children or other vulnerable persons to the police.

The latest incident has again highlighted concerns about child sexual abuse and the protection of minors in Abuja. Under Nigerian law, allegations involving sexual offences against children are subject to investigation and prosecution, and suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court.

The identity of the child has not been disclosed in keeping with the need to protect the privacy and welfare of a minor allegedly involved in a sexual-abuse case.

Police Arrest Man Caught Sexually Assaulting 12-Year-Old Girl in Car

metro

Electric Spark Suspected as Fire Destroys 21 Shops at Abuja’s Kugbo Market

Published

5 hours ago

October 3, 2026

Trends Admin

Electric Spark Suspected as Fire Destroys 21 Shops at Abuja’s Kugbo Market

An electrical spark has been blamed by an eyewitness for a fire that destroyed 21 shops and a vehicle at Kugbo Furniture Market along the Abuja-Keffi Expressway in the Federal Capital Territory.

The fire, which occurred on Friday, October 2, 2026, left traders counting losses after flames swept through a section of the market where furniture, foam, timber and other highly combustible materials were stored.

An eyewitness, Mary Aniekan, alleged that the fire started shortly after electricity was restored by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC). She said traders noticed an electrical spark before the fire rapidly spread through the affected shops.

However, emergency authorities have not officially established the cause of the fire, making the electrical-spark account an eyewitness explanation rather than a confirmed finding.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said its Abuja Operations Office received a distress call at about 11:15am and immediately activated emergency responders, including the Federal Fire Service.

READ ALSO:

According to NEMA‘s preliminary assessment, 21 shops and one vehicle were affected by the fire. No death was recorded, while some valuable items were reportedly recovered from the affected area.

Firefighters and other emergency personnel worked to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to other parts of the market. The affected area was subsequently dampened to reduce the possibility of a secondary outbreak.

Emergency operations were brought to an end at about 1:40pm after the situation was brought under control.

Traders said the fire spread quickly because of the nature of goods stored in the affected shops, including foam, timber, furniture materials and other combustible products.

The chairman of the Kugbo Wood Machinist Association, Godswill Ndukwe, estimated that goods worth about N500 million were destroyed in the incident. The figure is a preliminary estimate by traders and has not been independently verified.

Ndukwe appealed to the Federal Capital Territory Administration and Abuja Municipal Area Council to take measures to improve fire prevention and emergency response arrangements at the market.

The latest Kugbo Market fire has also renewed concerns about recurring fire incidents in the area. In February 2026, another fire reportedly destroyed more than 15 shops and adjoining residential structures at the market.

Traders and residents had, during the earlier incident, raised concerns about the concentration of workshops and combustible materials, as well as inadequate spacing and other conditions that could make it difficult for emergency responders to contain fires quickly.

The latest incident did not result in any reported fatalities or injuries, but the destruction of the shops has left affected traders facing significant financial losses.

Authorities are expected to establish the actual cause of the fire as investigations continue, while traders have called for improved fire safety measures, electrical checks and emergency preparedness at Kugbo Market.